City Council

COMMISSION ON PUBLIC WORKS/UTILITIES COUNCIL ROOM DECEMBER 9, 2014 6:45 P.M. The Commission on Public Works/Utilities met in regular session, Chair Horn presiding. On roll call: Council Member Quicker absent, all other members present. The minutes of the previous meeting were declared approved. Director of Public Works Flynn reported on no burials at the cemetery, equipment maintenance, maintaining Christmas decorations, hauling brush and compost, burning the brush pile, picking up brush, leaf pickup is completed, filling potholes on Division Street, Irving Schutte’s (Buck’s Dollar Bar) insurance company has hired Scott Elmhorst Excavating and will be paying Elmhorst directly, a demolition permit has been issued, a Digger’s Hotline request has been received, and WE Energies will be removing gas meters Wednesday. Motion Neville, second Mabie, to adjourn. All Aye. __________________________________________ Daryn J. Horn, Chair ____________________________________ Rex R. Roehl, Clerk ************ COMMON COUNCIL COUNCIL ROOM DECEMBER 9, 2014 7:00 P.M. The Common Council met in regular session, Mayor Mabie presiding. On roll call: Council Member Quicker absent, all other members present. The minutes of the previous meeting were declared approved. Mayor Mabie presented Harvey Pischer with a plaque in recognition of his outstanding service and involvement to the City of Neillsville. Beginning as Third Ward Alderman (December, 1991 to April, 1996), running the City cable TV broadcast of our Council meetings for over 18 years, and serving on the Airport Commission as a member. Thank you for your many years of volunteerism and effort. The Council members congratulated Pischer and thanked him. City Attorney Wachsmuth read the December 2, 2014 minutes of the Library Board meeting regarding: 1) librarians’ reports, 2) payment of bills, 3) updates on donation and carryover funds, 4) discussed carpet installation without moving the bookshelves, 5) set up the 2015 meeting schedule, and 6) reviewed upcoming community events. Council Member Horn reported on the December 9, 2014 meeting of the Commission on Public Works/Utilities regarding current activities. Mark Jones, Abby Vans, presented the Neillsville Taxi Service annual report and new taxi service hours and fares brochure. There has been a 12% ridership increase through November, 2014, even though there is a projected 4% revenue shortfall. We are providing more trips to more people at a reduced rate. Out of town trips are also down. Jones presented a cost and revenue comparison for 2013 and 2014. Mayor Mabie asked Jones about his lobbying activities. Jones stated that he is a member of four state transportation boards and meets with state representatives regularly, making trips to Madison, and annually to Washington D.C. Wisconsin did not fare well under the last round of federal funding, and we need to keep our representatives at both the state and national levels aware that our local people have a need and really depend on this service. The City is operating under Section 5311 funding, and the County operates under Sections 8520 and 8521 funding. We are in our fourth bid cycle since 1997, and 2014 is the second year of a five year program. We are running very tight during the daytime hours with two taxis. Pam Kernan, Clark County Social Services, thanked the City for working closely with the County on the taxi services funding grants. Originally, the City partnered with the County to get the County taxi service up and running. When the City’s population dropped below 2,500 people, things got reversed, and the County now partners with the City to keep the Neillsville Taxi running. The taxi service is well worth the benefits – for every dollar spent, it brings in three dollars to our communities. All our taxi services are kept in Clark County. We have a lot of transports from the northern part of the County to the Courthouse and Neillsville. In 2015, the County taxi will be expanding another four hours in the northern part. Section 8521 funding is for elderly and disabled people to help them stay in their homes and communities. Julie Counsell, Historic Preservation Commission Chair, stated that the Commission has produced a calendar as part of a fund raising effort for Historic Preservation to accumulate funding to eventually offer help to local businesses and individuals. The Commission has not formulated all the ideas yet. We want to get interest and education going. Stacie Campbell stated that this is money not coming from the taxpayer. Counsell stated that this is a starting point, another source to help beautify our city. Council Member Clough stated that the plans, qualifications and details on how to disperse the dollars have to work out yet. It would be for smaller projects – like help with paint, etc. The federal and state dollars are geared towards big projects. Motion Clough, second Horn, to authorize the setup of a non-lapsing fund for Historic Preservation fund raising program funds. All Aye. City Clerk Roehl stated that a non-lapsing fund had been set up for the Arboretum sidewalk project along U.S. HWY 10. The project is now complete, and the fund has $8,543.91 remaining in Account No. 57343 Sidewalks & Crosswalks Outlay. City Clerk Roehl suggested transferring the balance to Account No. 56600 Urban Development (this is the account used for tearing down buildings, etc.), as it has a deficit of $4,238.03 to date. Discussion followed. Motion Horn, second Neville, to transfer $8,543.91 from Account No. 57343 Sidewalks & Crosswalks Outlay (closing the non-lapsing fund account) to Account No. 56600 Urban Development. All Aye. Mayor Mabie presented Chris Smith’s letter of resignation from the Library Board. Motion Horn, second Clough, to accept Chris Smith’s resignation from the Library Board, and to thank her for her years of service. All Aye. Chief of Police Klueckmann reported on November, 2014 complaints, citations, warnings, arrests and investigations. Klueckmann reported that Jason King has accepted the City’s final offer of employment, and will start on January 2, 2015 as our new police officer. Several interoffice promotions have occurred, and the department will begin a technology upgrade replacing an aging server and upgrading two computer work stations. Klueckmann stated that the state fire marshall’s report on the Irving Schutte, Buck’s Dollar Bar, fire will state the cause of the fire as undetermined. Retail License Transfer – Premises to Premises Application: Irving C. Schutte, Buck’s Dollar Bar, from 620 Hewett Street to 801 Hewett Street, effective on or about December 1, 2014 for his “Class B” Retail Fermented Malt Beverages and Intoxicating Liquor License. Motion Neville, second Horn, to grant the transfer of Irving C. Schutte, Buck’s Dollar Bar, from 620 Hewett Street to 801 Hewett Street, for his “Class B” Retail Fermented Malt Beverages and Intoxicating Liquor License, subject to the surrender of the Dean E. Hainz, Degan’s Sport Zone, Reserved “Class B” Retail Fermented Malt Beverages and Intoxicating Liquor License at 801 Hewett Street. All Aye. Class “A” Retail Liquor License Application: Jennifer A. Zink, Nomad Bodyworks, 545 Hewett Street Motion Glassbrenner, second Clough, to grant. All Aye. Combination Cigarette and Soda Water License Application: Irving C. Schutte, Buck’s Dollar Bar, 801 Hewett Street Motion Horn, second Neville, to grant. All Aye. Tavern Operator’s License Applications: Sarah J. Jensen, Tiffany M. Mecklenburg, and Jennifer A. Zink Motion Neville, second Glassbrenner, to grant all the listed licenses. All Aye. Motion Glassbrenner, second Clough, that City bills Nos. 1213 to 1262 in the amount of $117,492.26 be paid. All Aye. Motion Horn, second Neville, to adjourn. All Aye. __________________________________________ Steven J. Mabie, Mayor ____________________________________ Rex R. Roehl, Clerk ************